Chicago Truck Accident Lawyer Blog

Six people were sent to the hospital last week after they were injured in a Plainfield, Illinois traffic crash involving three other vehicles, including a semi-truck and a 16,000-pound construction truck. Illinois State police say that the semi-truck caught fire during the crash.

The traffic crash occurred on October 18 on US 30 at around 6:30 pm when the construction truck went over the center line, hitting a passenger car and a pickup truck before crashing head on with the semi-truck.

While the construction truck driver sustained serious burn injuries and was flown to Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, the semi driver, who managed to escape his burning truck, sustained a minor head injury and arm burns. He was taken to an Aurora hospital.

Also injured in the multi-vehicle Will County traffic crash were three people in the passenger car, who reportedly sustained minor injuries, and the pickup truck driver, who suffered a serious arm injury.

Will County, Illinois Truck Accidents
Large truck crashes can cause serious injuries to those involved. In many cases, it is pedestrians, bicyclists, motorcyclists, the people riding in other vehicles, and other innocent bystanders that usually end up getting hurt.

Common causes of truck accidents:
• Distracted driving
• Drowsy driving
• Driver inattention
• Texting while driving
• Cell phone use while driving
• Speeding
• Faulty truck maintenance
• Cargo overload
• Violation of FMCSA rules and regulations

6 injured—3 critically—in Plainfield-area wreck, Chicago Breaking News, October 18, 2010

Violent crash sends six to the hospital, ignites semi truck, Plainfield Patch, October 18, 2010

Related Web Resource:
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

Continue reading " Will County, Illinois Truck Crash Injures Six " »

A truck driver who was involved in an Illinois truck crash on Interstate 55/70 is suing the other driver and his employer for personal injury. James Hill is seeking over $100,000 plus costs from Hartwig Transit and Lewis Kollenberg.

According to Hill, Kollenberg’s vehicle struck his truck in East St. Louis on May 24, 2010. As a result, the trucker sustained serious permanent and severe injuries that stopped him from attending to his usual duties. He also says that he has experienced great anguish and pain.

In his injury complaint, Kollenberg claims that his employer, Hartiwg Transit, was liable for his actions under “the doctrine of respondeat superior.” The trucker says Kollenberg caused the Illinois truck accident when he negligently failed to swerve or stop to avoid a collision, drove too fast, did not keep his vehicle under adequate control, failed to stop or yield the right of way, and drove without keeping a proper lookout.

Illinois Truck Accidents
While it is usually the other motorist in a smaller vehicle that is at higher risk of injury during a Chicago truck crash, truckers can also get seriously hurt. Back injuries, head injuries, broken bones, traumatic brain injuries, other serious injuries, and death can occur. Depending on the specifics of the injury accident, the other driver, the truck manufacturer, a maker of a defective truck part, or the entity that failed to properly maintain a road may be among the possible liable parties.

Truck driver claims his employer is liable for his actions in interstate accident, The Record, October 21, 2010

Related Web Resources:
Respondeat Superior, Legal-Explanations

Trucking Accidents, Common Causes and Liability, Nolo

Continue reading " Trucker Files Illinois Truck Accident Lawsuit Against His Employer and The Other Driver " »

Jessica Legens is suing tow truck operator Mark Ikerman, his employer Manheim Services Corporation, the owners of Sparky’s 397 Pub, and Mac & Mick’s Sports Bar for the Illinois wrongful deaths of her husband and son. Donald Legens Sr. and their 9-month-old son Donald Legens Jr. died from injuries they sustained when their stopped car was struck by the truck driven by Mark Ikerman.

According to Legens’ Illinois truck accident complaint, Ikerman was driving drunk and did not slow down when he hit the victims’ vehicle. The elder Legens, who was standing outside, was injured when the impact of collision pushed his car into him. He died that night. Donald Legens Jr., who was in the vehicle at the time, would die on November 14, 2008 from his injuries.

Legens is seeking at least $50,000 for each count against Ikerman, who is charged with two counts of failing to report an accident involving death or personal injury and two counts of aggravated driving while under the influence. She is also suing Mannheim for vicarious liability. She is seeking damages against the bar owners for knowingly selling the alcohol to the two truck driver before the accident.

Meantime, Mannheim is claiming that Donald Legens Sr. was partially responsible for the accident because he was outside his vehicle at the time, drinking, and did not make sure his gas tank was full enough that he wouldn’t run out of fuel.

Chicago Truck Accident Lawsuits
Losing someone you love is incredibly hard. It can be even more upsetting to know that your loved one would still be alive today were it not for another party’s negligence. There are ways to hold a negligent trucker and trucking company liable for your loved one’s truck crash death.

Summary judgment move in tow truck accident case to be heard Oct. 22, St. Clair Record, October 14, 2010

Related Web Resources:
Federal Motor carrier Safety Administration

American Trucking Associations

A $62.7 semi-truck crash settlement has been reached between Associated Wholesale Grocers Inc. and the family members of 8 of the 10 people that were killed when a tractor-trailer crashed into a line of stopped cars on the Will Rogers Turnpike last year.The settlement comes just days after the National Transportation Safety Board issued a report stating that truck driver fatigue was what caused trucker Donald L. Creed, 76, to crash his 40,000-pound big rig into traffic, resulting in a catastrophic chain reaction. The NTSB’s report also noted that the truck collision could have been avoided if the trucking industry and the government had put into place certain safety recommendations.

The vehicles were stopped on the turnpike because of an earlier traffic crash when the semi-trailer collision happened. Truck crash victims included Ricardo and Ernestina Reyes (their daughter Andrea, then 13, survived the truck crash), Oral and Earlene Hooks, two of their sons Dione and Antonio, Shellby and Randall Hayes, their son Ethan, Cynthia Olson, who was Shelby Hayes’ mom.

Creed, the drivers and owners of two other autos involved in the first motor vehicle collision, and a number of insurance companies were also wrongful death defendants in this case. In August, Creed pleaded guilty to 10 counts of negligent homicide. He was sentenced to 30 days in jail and subject to electronic monitoring for a year. He is barred from having a commercial driver’s license.

Creed suffers from sleep apnea.

Truck Driver Fatigue
Truck driver fatigue causes about 5,000 fatalities each year. Many truckers can’t help but suffer from exhaustion because of lack of sleep, long hours on the road, and having to work early in the morning and late into the night. There are also truckers that are suffering from sleep apnea or other sleeping disorders, which increases the likelihood that they may fall asleep while at the wheel.

A truck driver who is tired, drowsy, or asleep is a very dangerous driver. Many large trucks weigh and carry thousands of pounds. It is usually the pedestrians and occupants of other vehicles involved in a large truck crash that suffer.

IllinoisTruck Accidents
Chicago truck crashes happen for many reasons, including driver fatigue, distracted driving, drunk driving, driver recklessness, failure to obey traffic signs, truck overload, and aggressive driving. Truck accidents can lead to catastrophic injuries for victims. Trucking companies are experienced in combatting injury claims, which is why it is important that you get the legal help that you need.

Lawsuit Over Deadly Turnpike Collision Settled for $62 Million, News9, October 7, 2010

$62.7 million settlement reached in tractor-trailer accident that killed 10 on Oklahoma turnpike, DallasNews, October 7, 2010

The price of trucker fatigue, Illinois Times, September 12, 2007
Related Web Resources:
NTSB

TECH BRIEF: Sleep Apnea Crash Risk Study, FMCSA